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Topic Review (Newest First)

06-06-2006 09:02 PM

JimW

Dielectric grease - juice up everything before you put the boat in the water, chances are the contacts have never seen the stuff when it wired up in the boat yard. I'm talking take the stern light apart and put it in the socket of the bulb, same for the bow light. Gps connections, fishfinder, fueses, anything where something plugs into a socket gets a shot of dielectric. Coat the battery terminals with regular grease or the spray stuff you get in the automotive section. The electronics will go south quicker than anything else on that boat so a little preventitive maintenance will add years to the life of the wiring.

Oh yeah and Duct tape....

06-06-2006 04:40 PM

tomd

on the flint!!!!

I read a story many years ago, I believe the guy was out of the north shore... boat sank, and he was able to swim to a bouy. it was a large bell bouy I think. anyways he opened the repair hatch in the side of it and crawled he stayed alive in freezing temps by cutting his boots in thin strips and lighting them, keeping the inside of the bouy warm enough to survive.

06-06-2006 04:21 PM

OC

Sean,
You are probably right under those situations but if you are going to take the family over to some island for a cookout or a walk on the beach I'd carry the extra chain. But with the ten feet of chain on a windy day and you got to keep your broken down boat off the beach or rocks I'd worry about you and the boat.
Wish I could come out and fish with you all, what a great time to be in New England.

06-06-2006 04:05 PM

Smcdermott

OC,

I see your point in that instance. I just don't think it is a realisitic situation out here and having to use 30ft of chain day to day would clearly outweigh any rare instances I might find myself wanting to anchore up like that. Most shore spot anchoring is done in just a few feet of water in protected waters. Maybe if I were to get into Scuba or more serious snorkling but in that instance you really should have a lookout on the boat anyway. Not sure of the dimensions of my chain but I have yet to come loose in a fishing situation yet. Not to mention fly fisherman tend to drift more as well.

Sean

06-06-2006 03:03 PM

OC

Sean,

The chain is so very important as it is what keeps your anchor in the right holding position. I know it's a pain to drop anchor and even worse to pull it seeing one has to lean over the bow to lift it strait up so as not to scrape the glass. Your boat may not have the room in its anchor locker for that much chain but if you have to go with 3/8's instead that may be even better, it sure weighs a lot less. 300 feet of rhode is usefull on bigger boats as windage scope is all important but I think 100 feet and 30 feet of chain will give your anchor a good angle for holding power in up to 25 feet of water, remember that chain is going to drag along the bottom and your anchor flukes will have a chance to reset. With little chain and lots of rhode your chain may not be heavy enough and angle up towards your boat along with line and that means disaster.
Two weekends ago I watched two boats one 24 feet and the other 18 feet drag anchor when the wind did a 180 and came up at 25 knots. The anchors they had were Danforths about the right size but they only had 10 feet of chain. Both boats had a strong set and held firmly till the wind changed dirrection This made it impossible for the anchors to reset long enough for the owners to get back out to their boats as they were on shore claming. If you put out all 300 feet of rhode you will set your anchor very nicely indeed but that means you need plenty of room if you swing. I would worry without the extra chain that the anchor would skim along the bottom especially if the she let go on a fresh breeze blowing off shore with the bottom angle dropping into deeper water. I guess I feel lucky in having 300 feet of 5/8 chain, a 65 pound Bruce and a windless. When the wind changed dirrection that day I was still on board. Once my chained tightend after the 180 swing it took about 10 feet of drag before I reset long enough to get the engine started and reset for real. The two other boats luckily went out into deep water and the owners had an inflatables with outboards to go retrieve them. Experience is the only thing that can make you feel confortable when leaving your boat after anchoring, lot's of practice helps. Both of those owners went out last week and got more chain.

06-06-2006 02:25 PM

jfbasser

Make sure that the trailer has a spare tire and that you carry a jack capable of lifting the trailer with the boat on it.

06-06-2006 02:09 PM

Smcdermott

OC,

Are you sure about the 30' of chain? That seems almost unmanageable for a 18' center console. Remember you have to lift that chain out of the hatch along with the anchor and drop it over the side without dinging the crap out of your hull. I have 300' of line, about 10' of chain and I believe a 12-15lb anchor. I also have a small 8lb anchor and minimal chain and rode for the stern.

Sean

06-06-2006 02:01 PM

OC

Sean,

Get yourself a good anchor, chain and rhode. I would suggest a Danforth hi tensile first and a Fluke second. This style anchor is the best all around anchor for your area. It holds well in mud. sand and mixed bottoms but like all anchors does not hold in Kelp, seaweed or eel grass. I think you should get the 13 pound size or close too it. That size is for boats up to 33 feet but that is BS. If you get caught in an emergency on a windy day it will have about 900 pounds of holding power,( wind poundage against your hull) and your new boat will be well under that untill it blows 35 knots . Get 30 feet of galvinized 1/2 inch chain a couple of galvinized shackles and about 100 feet of 1/2 inch anchor line. That will cost you for everything a couple hundred dollars but is is well worth the insurance of knowing you are going to hold on one of those days we wish we had never gone out in the first place. Remember the rule of at least 3 to 1 scope/ depth all the way to 7/1 scope for very windy days.

06-06-2006 01:57 PM

Smcdermott

Spare parts...

After a quick glance at the items already listed it looks like most things are covered. I would add to the list spare fuses, fuel filters etc...Things that make the boat run that could go bad on a trip out. I now keep a basic tool kit, with filter wrenches, fuses, pliers, a few screw drivers etc.. in a dry box in the console. I have already used the fuses a few times. Spare bulbs for running lights should also be in there which come to think of it I'm not sure I put back the last time after changing them.

Personally, I am not sure I would want to do the spark plug, prop thing on the water. If the seas are calm enough I would just drop anchor and call Sea Tow/Boat US. If the seas are too rough to go on the hook odds are you won't be able to do that maintenance on the water either and a call to the tow boat service is still in order. Spark plugs would probably be a different story if I had a two stroke but the likelyhood of that being the issue in a newer 4 stroke just doesn't seem to warrant their inclusion in the tool kit.

Sean

06-04-2006 12:37 PM

juro

Hey Eddie you don't start the fire on the boat

True I ran my boat on a primitive north pacific coastline. If you lose power and drift off the shipping lanes on the north peninsula you could be in for a long wait for help and a fire and food would be nice to have if you get past the rocky coastline to make a safe landfall.

Year-round water temps are in the 50's and if you swamp you have 20 minutes before acute hypothermia sets in. Not the case out here either when the stripers are in town, maybe for cod jiggers. Out there survival suits are commonly added to the list. At least I did not mention that

The flint never goes bad, it's fire whenever you need it without ever running out of gas or getting wet. Might need it, might not - I felt comfortable with it and used it in non-emergency situations to enjoy a beach fire here or there.

I guess the Maine coast isn't Point of Arches! Neither is Rhody.

06-04-2006 11:58 AM

Eddie

flint fire starter? mre's? I don't think that there are many places on the east coast where you might find the opportunity to use those items. Heck, if you think you might need them, you might want to think about a life raft first, and then an epirb and then a water still/maker.
Maybe a few power bars and a gallon of water. And an extra lighter for the cigars.

A really good additional item would be a set of manley pliers. They could come itn very handy if you needed to cut a hook.

06-04-2006 09:46 AM

FishHawk

I only own a yak but essential items to carry are a hand held GPS, and Marine Radio. The marine radio is better than a cell phone as you can get instant help from other mariners and talk to the Coast Guard directly. FishHawk